Spring 2015 Commencement

The Blue Water Middle College Academy (BWMCA) 2015 commencement was held at McMorran Theatre in Port Huron on Wednesday, May 27.

148 BWMCA students earned their high school diploma this year. Over 60% of those students also earned an associate degree from St. Clair County Community College (SC4) this spring. Many more students are within two or three classes of earning their degree.

Middle college graduates are pursuing their next academic or career steps this fall at over 35 different colleges and universities or branches of military service.

2015 - 2016 Enrollment

Enrollment for the coming school year is now closed. Over 250 11th graders from around St. Clair County make up the 2015 BWMCA cohort. Their three-year journey as a BWMCA student begins in mid-August with a three-day orientation on SC4's campus. SC4 fall classes begin Monday, August 24.

BWMCA is moving

This summer the Blue Water Middle College Academy is moving into the space formerly occupied by SC4's One Stop Enrollment Office. The new space is just a couple of doors down the hallway in the Acheson Applied Technology Center building. It will provide a much larger space for students to visit, work, relax, or get help from BWMCA staff members. Photos of the new middle college location will be posted as the makeover of Room 123 moves forward. Hopefully the move will be complete by early August.

One student's story

Makenzie Klein wasn't at all thrilled when Mom told her she was going to enroll in the Blue Water Middle College Academy. Three years later, Makenzie has her high school diploma, two years of college credit, a scholarship and a career plan.

Transferring SC4 credits to a four-year university

The middle college allows its students to earn free college credits through St. Clair County Community College. These credits will transfer to four-year universities, which will save students and their families money.

BWMCA Update: WPHM Paul Miller Interview

Blue Water Middle College Academy director, Pete Spencer, was interviewed on January 7th by Paul Miller on AM 1380 WPHM. Hear the latest information about the middle college, including current enrollment, recent grade data, what recent BWMCA graduates are up to, and the application and enrollment process that is underway for current 10th grade students in St. Clair County. Click here to listen to the interview.

Dateline Schools Interview with BWMCA Director, Pete Spencer

Pete Spencer describes the middle college and reports on the achievements of current BWMCA students and its graduates.

Click on the photo at the left to go to the first of the series of five daily segments on the St. Clair County RESA TV: School News YouTube channel. You will be able to select the Tuesday through Friday segments when at the site.

Video Overview of the BWMCA

Below is a short video that provides an overview of the Blue Water Middle College Academy from the perspective of its students and BWMCA and SC4 staff.

Middle College overview

The Blue Water Middle College Academy provides St. Clair County students the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and a college associate degree at no cost by attending school for an extra year.

The middle college is designed to increase the number of students enrolling in college and the number of students completing either an associate or bachelor’s degree.

This is accomplished by progressively transitioning high school students into the college environment beginning in 11th grade and continuing through year 13. The Blue Water Middle College is modeled on schools elsewhere in Michigan and the nation that blend high school and college classes.

Students are supported throughout the program with personal mentoring and academic counseling, college success workshops, and development of a supportive group of fellow middle college students.

Students enroll in the Blue Water Middle College Academy in the fall of their 11th grade year. Enrollment begins in January with a series of informational meetings at the partnering high schools.

A unique partnership

The BWMCA is chartered by the St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency and reflects a unique partnership between the RESA, St. Clair County Community College and five county school districts: Algonac, Capac, Memphis, Port Huron and Yale.

Students take their high school courses at one of the partnering high schools. Their college courses are taken at St. Clair County Community College.

Students enrolling in the Blue Water Middle College Academy become students of the middle college but are allowed to play sports and participate in normal extracurricular activities at their local high school through agreements between the middle college and the local districts.

Success Sessions

Success Sessions are provided several times a month by middle college staff to provide students time to meet as a group, share information and ideas, and learn about the strategies and skills that help students succeed at high levels in college.

Students are expected to attend all Success Sessions. They are often offered on Friday afternoons when there are virtually no college classes taking place at SC4, however we are trying to offer more of them during the days when students are already on campus. Information on each upcoming Success Session is shared with students and parents via email.